Canton man with murder conviction faces federal Charges for having Six firearms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2013

A Canton man with a prior murder conviction was faces federal firearms charges after authorities found him with six firearms, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Torrey T. Gross, age 39,was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

"It is profoundly troubling that a man with this criminal backgroud was able to get his hands on these fireams," Dettelbach said. "We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to keep firearms from those who are forbidden from possessing them."

Gross was arrested on April 17, 2013, by Metro Narcotics, FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Canton Police Department SWAT team during an execution of a Stark County Common Pleas Court Search Warrant. The search warrant yielded an S.K.S. semiautomtic rifle, a Ruger SR40C pistol, a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 pistol, a Glock 17 pistol, a Glock 21, .45-caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson, model 22A-1 .22-caliber pistol and various ammunition, according to the indictment.

Gross is forbidden from possessing firearms or ammunition because of a 1997 conviction for muder in Oakland County, Michigan, according to the indictment.

If convicted, Gross’ sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including his prior criminal record, if any, his role in the offenses and the unique characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Dirksen.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.